Two legislators in the Michigan Senate have announced that they are drafting new proposals to limit issuance of Michigan's Medical Marihuana cards only to applicants that can prove state residency of one year or more.

The proposal has come as a response to law enforcement officers' growing reports of out of state residents renting apartments in border cities with the sole purpose of getting a Michigan Driver's license and then applying to become patients or caregivers.  These card holders then move back to their home state visiting Michigan only once a week to tend their plants and then move the medical marihuana across state lines in some instances.

Once drafted and introduced in the House, the proposal will join a growing number of others awaiting approval by the legislation.

At the request of the Michigan Township Association, Hubbard Shareholder Andria Ditschman gave a nuts-and-bolts presentation and led an interactive discussion on interlocal agreements as part of the MTA's Training Retreat for Supervisors and Trustees on September 15 in Cadillac, Michigan.

As townships strive to find effective ways to continue delivering services affordably, it is impossible to ignore the push from the State Capitol on cooperation. There are several laws already in place (and even more expected) authorizing intergovernmental agreements. Andria demonstrated the importance of determining a desired outcome first before entering into an agreement, to allow for the selection of the best approach to the agreement and for the protection of community's interests.

Andria led a frank discussion of the benefits and costs of such agreements, and the Supervisors expressed their disappointment with the level of revenue sharing in the current State budget.

The Michigan Township Association has asked Andria to provide the same information as part of its Training Retreat for Township Clerks and Treasurers on September 27.

For more details regarding interlocal agreements, please contact Andria Ditschman at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Secretary of State Ruth Johnson have announced that a Lansing marihuana dispensary owner, Shekina Pena, has been charged with violating a Michigan election law.  Michigan Election Law makes it a misdemeanor to "either directly or indirectly, give, lend, or promise valuable consideration, to or for any person, as an inducement to influence the manner of voting by a person relative to a candidate or ballot question, or as a reward for refraining from voting."  MCL 168.931 et seq.

Earlier this year, it was reported that before an election of Lansing City Council members, a Lansing dispensary, Your Healthy Choice Clinic, posted on its website "Vote for us and we'll vote for you.  All dispensaries are doing a voter registration drive.  If you sign up at Your Healthy Choice, we will assist you in filling out the registration form and will mail it out for you.  We believe in power in numbers and everyone taking a stand.  So in appreciation, we will reward legal patients with a .5 gram free or a free medible!"  In addition, the dispensary's website indicated which City Council candidates it supported and which City Council candidates it did not support.

The Attorney General's office indicated that based on its investigation, the owner of Your Healthy Choice Clinic, Shekina Pena had allegedly offered free marihuana in exchange for citizen's registering to vote.  The charge against Pena was filed today in Lansing's 54A District Court.  Pena was arraigned before Judge Frank DeLuca and a personal bond of $3,500 was set.  The misdemeanor charge is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or $500 fine.  Future court dates have yet to be scheduled.